take your answer off the air...

Talker's MagazineThe quirky talk radio trade mag. Check the Talk Radio Research Project- it's not very scientific, but places on the top 15 talkers list (scroll down to Talk Radio Audiences By Size)) are as hotly contested as Emmys (and mean just about as much).

The AdvocateNo, not THAT Advocate... it's the Northwest Progressive Institute's Official Blog.

Media MattersDocumentation of right-wing media in video, audio and text.

Orcinushome of David Neiwert, freelance investigative journalist and author who writes extensively about far-right hate groups

Hominid Views"People, politics, science, and whatnot"
Darryl is a statistician who fights imperialism with empiricism, gives good links and wry commentary.

Jesus' General An 11 on the Manly Scale of Absolute Gender, a 12 on the Heavenly Scale of the 10 Commandments and a 6 on the earthly scale of the Immaculately Groomed.

Irrational Public Radio "informs, challenges, soothes and/or berates, and does so with a pleasing vocal cadence and unmatched enunciation. When you listen to IPR, integrity washes over you like lava, with the pleasing familiarity of a medium-roast coffee and a sensible muffin."

The Moderate VoiceThe voice of reason in the age of Obama, and the politics of the far-middle.

News Hounds Dogged dogging of Fox News by a team who seems to watch every minute of the cable channel so you don't have to.

HistoryLinkFun to read and free encyclopedia of Washington State history. Founded by the late Walt Crowley, it's an indispensable tool and entertainment source for history wonks and surfers alike.

right-wing blogs we like

The Reagan WingHearin lies the real heart of Washington State Republicans. Doug Parris runs this red-meat social conservative group site which bars no holds when it comes to saying who they are and who they're not; what they believe and what they don't; who their friends are and where the rest of the Republicans can go. Well-written, and flaming.

April 24, 2013

Former KIRO News alum Heather Bosch has been kicking butt. Her latest coverage for CBS News of the Boston Bombings and subsequent manhunt follows on the announcement of several awards in news coverage.

This comes on the heels of a 2013 Gracie award (Women In Media Award),
for her story Woman Warriors, about the role women have in combat in which she will be presented the award in Hollywood next month sharing the stage with an A-list of celebrities.

We have to wonder if KIRO had continued it's emphasis on news today like it did 10 years ago would it be struggling along as it has?

Our mail bag has a question... from the era of 1976-78 which host did a filler show on either KIRO or KING 1090

"Glad I found this site, brings back some great memories growing up in Seattle!

I have been looking for some radio segments that a local DJ had but
unfortunately I can't remember his name and I'm not sure about the
station - I am sure the station was on AM and I think it was either KING
or KIRO.

These segments were called "A wonderful story". It played at the same
time Mon-Fri, I think at 3:50pm. The guy would tell a short story that
was the wind up to the most "atrocious" puns and the tag line when the
story was over was the chorus, "O, what a wonderful story" said with
OBVIOUS sarcasm. These were the best (worst) jokes you've ever heard
and I LOVED them!

I used to record these on a cassette each day and had a collection, but
sadly, I've lost track of the tapes (I believe they were destroyed in a
house fire after I left my childhood home).

April 23, 2013

As reported in Shareholders Foundation today, a professional loss-prevention, settlement recovery, portfolio monitoring service, an investor has filed suit regarding the sale of Seattle based Fisher Broadcasting (KOMO Radio/TV,KVI,KPLZ) to Sinclair, claiming the offer is undervalued.

If you purchased shares of Fisher Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSCI)
prior to April 11, 2013, and currently hold any of those NASDAQ:FSCI
shares, you have certain options and you should contact the Shareholders
Foundation, Inc.

The plaintiff alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary
duties by agreeing to sell the company too cheaply via an unfair process
to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. On April 12, 2013, NASDAQ:FSCI shares traded as high as $41.20 per share.

Just days before the April 13th announcement of the acquisition, Sinclair Broadcast Group refinaced its credit loan terms. Sinclair raised $900.0 million of new
term loans, which consisted of $500.0 million in new term A loans
maturing April 2018 and priced at LIBOR plus 2.25% and $400.0 million in
new term B loans maturing April 2020 and priced at LIBOR plus 2.25%
with a LIBOR floor of 0.75%. In addition, Sinclair obtained a new $100.0
million revolving line of credit maturing April 2018 and priced at
LIBOR plus 2.25%.

April 12, 2013

"We are extremely excited about teaming up Danny O'Neil with Brock
Huard on 710 ESPN Seattle," said Dave Pridemore, the Vice President and
General Manager of 710 ESPN Seattle. "I'm sure our listeners will
appreciate the combination of an athlete's insight and analysis with a
journalist's curiosity and straight forward perspective."

"Brock and Danny" will debut Monday. The show will remain in its previous timeslot of 9-noon.

"I am extremely grateful and honored to be working with Brock, who is
a true professional behind the mic, and on-and-off the field," O'Neil
said. "I look forward to this new challenge and officially being part of
this 710 ESPN Seattle team."

O'Neil joins 710 ESPN Seattle and 710Sports.com on a full-time basis
after working as a reporter for 11 years at The Seattle Times, covering
high school sports and the Seahawks during three stints at the paper.
O'Neil has also worked for ESPN at the company's headquarters in
Bristol, Conn. and for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. While at the P-I,
O'Neil was the Seahawks beat writer during their run to Super Bowl XL
in 2005. He's covered the team for the past seven seasons for The Times.

O'Neil will cover the Seahawks for 710 ESPN Seattle and 710Sports.com com.

O'Neil and Huard both attended the University of Washington. They
first met when O'Neil was assigned to write a story on Huard for the
school's newspaper.

April 10, 2013

TV News Check is reporting Fisher acquisition by Sinclair is all but a done deal, incuding 13 full-power and seven LPTV stations.

"Sinclair Broadcasting won a bidding war against LIN Media to buy Fisher
in a deal finalized in the wee hours of Tuesday night, according to
sources." The story continues: "A spokesman at Fisher’s public relations firm, Sard Verbinnen & Co.,
said the company had no comment on rumors and speculation."

No word yet on the state of Fisher owned KOMO AM/FM, KVI, KPLZ. It is likely they will be spun off after the sale. The deal was reportedly worth $371 million. Fisher also managed Classic King FM.

The oldest station in the state is making changes once again to their line-up.

Gone is Michael Smerconish who announced plans to exit terrestrial radio for satellite this month. In his place former MSNBC daytime and waitin' for a weekend slot host Ed Shultz will take the 1p-4p spot. 10a-1p is Andrea Tartaros , a FOXer whose background includes fighting the so-called culture wars. Dennis Miller occupied the morning slot but his contract was not renewed with the station due to issues over content http://www.kgyradio.com/ The changes begin April 15th.

April 04, 2013

Steph and the Mooks -
KLAY AM 1180 has changed its schedule and is now airing Stephanie
Miller "live" 6:00 - 9:00 AM. According to Bruce of KLAY, Stephanie
prefers to air during the live show time slot because they get listeners
calling into her show.

Carolyn Tamler and a small group of talk-radio fans are trying to
bring progressive talk radio back to Seattle. She told me she is doing
this “because there is nowhere else to get news.” Ouch.

The station that Tamler, an independent marketing consultant who
lives on Whidbey Island, used to listen to, AM 1090, switched from
progressive talk to sports in January. The CBS-owned station is betting
the deep blue Seattle area audience is more passionate about sports than
liberal ideology.

So Tamler and a few like-minded listeners (Julia Chase, Phil
Harrison, Matt Carson, Larisa Wanserski, Rennie Sawade and RoseAnn
Alspektor) are trying to find a way to return their programing to the
air.

Last December, before the format changed, Tamler placed a petition
online that reads, “Don’t let Seattle lose progressive radio! As a
local radio listener, I pledge to support with my dollars any advertiser
on any station that chooses to broadcast progressive programming.”

Tamler is a coordinator for the Whidbey Island council of MoveOn,
and said the political organizing group helped get the word out so that
5,000 people had signed up by the second day. There are 9,600
signatures now.

KVI am 570 KHz Visit the burnt-out husk of one of the seminal right-wing talkers in all the land. Here's where once trilled the reactionary tones of Rush Limbaugh, John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur, Mike Siegel, Peter Weissbach, Floyd Brown, Dinky Donkey, and Bryan Suits.
Now it's Top 40 hits from the '60's & '70's aimed at that diminishing crowd who still remembers them and can still hear.

KTTH am 770 KHzRight wing home of local, and a whole bunch of syndicated righties such as Glennn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Lars Larsony, and for an hour a day: live & local David Boze.